The fourth of July is a great time to go out with the family to go stargazing! This weekend, there will be some cool things to look at.
Looking at the moon
Consider looking at the moon, as it will be very large and luminous. The dark maria, or seas, will be on full display! These are actually formed by ancient lava flows, which smoothed the surface as they cooled. The most famous of these “seas”, the sea of tranquility, is where the first men on the moon landed their spacecraft. Also look for the huge craters, Copernicus and Tycho. These craters are the largest that you can see, and the “rays” that seem to emulate from the crater are actually debris thrown out from the impact. Below is a diagram of what is where on the moon.
Looking at planets
In terms of planets, you will be able to see both Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter is bright all evening, reaching its peak around 9 PM. If you look at Jupiter with a telescope, you may be able to see its four Galaian moons! To find Jupiter, look to the southwest. Saturn rises at around 9:30, and if you happen to have a telescope or binoculars, this is a great chance to see its beautiful rings! To find Saturn, simply find Jupiter, and then look for bright orbs in the general vicinity. Below is a map of the stars\ to aid locating these planets.
Looking at constellations
Another fun thing to do is look at the constellations themselves, especially if you are just starting out as a stargazer. Take a look at the map below, being sure to orient it in the correct direction, and see what constellations you can identify! If you have a computer, check out this software, which will tell you which star is where in real-time: https://stellarium-web.org/. Just allow location to get accurate results, and you will be great! You can also download Stellarium for iPhone here:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stellarium-mobile-sky-map/id643165438.
If you want to learn more about what you are looking at, click this link:https://theastroenthusiast.com/all-about-stars/.
My advice to you is to go outside on July 4th, and see what you can see!
Any other interesting astronomical phenomenon that you know about? Let me know in the comments below!